Adhesive handling apparatus



July 11, 1939. J. F. SMITH ADHESIVE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R A o T N E V m 7a 123mm ATTORNEYS July 11, 1939. J. F. SMITH ADHESIVE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 11, 1939 ADHESIVE HANDLING APPARATUS John Frederick Smith, Quincy, Mass., assignor to Compo Shoe Machinery Corporation,

New

York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 8, 1938, Serial No. 189,363

14 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for handling adhesive and, more particularly, to the handling of thermo-plastic adhesive which may be especially useful in the afllxation of shoe parts together, such as outsoles and/or heels. to lasted shoes.

General obj cts of the invention are the provisions of simple and eilicient apparatus which permit ready and effective removal of thermoplastic adhesive i'rom containers, controlled heating of the adhesive to a desired working temperature and/or eflicacious removal of adhesive strings from work and/or an adhesive applying means in a simple manner; and structural embodiments of the device which are readily constructed, easily set up and allow eflicient use and operation thereof.

A more specific object is the provision of a preheater which will efllciently remove thermoplastic adhesive of a highly sticky and stringy nature from commercial containers without necessitating contact therewith manually or by means of tools or the like, and will effectively deliver it in a fluid preheated condition to storage means where it may be heated to and maintained at a desired working temperature in preparation for ready use.

Another object is the provision of a heating pot of simple construction for receiving the preheated adhesive and associated means for heating it to and maintaining it at a temperature with n a certain critical range and which permits efficient use of heated adhesive therefrom in a simple manner. D

A further object of the invention is to provide effective means for removing and severing in a simple manner strings of adhesive which due to the highly stringy nature of certain types of thermo-plastic adhesive usually trail from work to which adhesive is appl ed and from the means for applying the adhesive to the work.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construct on, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplifled in the construction here nafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an adhesive Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken on 10 line 3-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit'of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing in simplified form certain elements of a thermostatic control for the pot heater.

The apparatus of the present invention is suitable for use generally in the handling of adhesive regardless of the use to which'it is put and the particular type of thermoplastic adhesive to be handled. However, it is particularly adapted for use in the handling of extremely sticky and stringy thermo-pla'stic adhesive, such as soft viscous thermo-plastic phenol resin, e. g., that commercially known as 8-7783. Such adhesive clings tenaciously to the surface of almost any type of material even at normal temperatures and when it is attempted to separate bodies thereof at temperatures ranging from normal to the highest permissible without causing it to become brittle or destructively affecting it the adhesive strings out greatly between the bodies causing annoyance and dimculties.

One of the many problems which was previously encountered in the handling of this adhesive was its removal from commercial containers. In order to remove it from metal containers it was found necessary to cut away the container and then attempt to break it up into chunks and place the chunks in a heated pot. Amounts of adhesive clung to the pieces of removed container, the tools used to break up the adhesive and to transfer it to the pot, and to everything with which it came into contact. An unsightly and annoying mess and attendant losses of adhesive resulted. Further it was found that there was a critical working temperature range of from about to C. at which this particular adhesive was most suitable for use, the high limit being dictated by eventual development of brittleness and other destructive effects.

These and other difllculties'are effectively eliminated by the apparatus of the present invention which, though useful in handling adhesives for many purposes, is especially adapted for use in cementing shoe parts together, specifically for use in the cement aiilxation of heels against the heel seats of lasted shoes in a manner similar to and in cooperation with suitable pressing apparatus, such as those disclosed in Card Patent No. 2,094,639, issued October 5, 1937.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is a table plate III of suitable material such as cast iron supported on an upright ll suitably mounted on apedestal (not shown). On one end of the plate H! are supported a preheater l2 above a heating pot l3 seated within a hole in the plate as shown, and a string severing device l4 positioned adjacent the top of the heating pot 13.

The preheater l2 consists of a receptacle l5, preferably cup-shaped and shallow as shown, formed of any suitable material such as alumihum. The bottom It of the receptacle I5 is preferably shaped as shown to direct fluid adhesive into an outlet I! provided in one side of the bottom thereof. Centrally of the receptacle I5 is mounted a heating unit It comprising in the preferred form an elongated electrical heating-cartridge I9 mounted substantially coaxially through the bottom of the receptacle l5, and a radiating device surroundingthe cartridge and consisting of a tapered recessed central body 24 adapted to fit over the cartridge l8 and a plurality of flns2l-2I preferably extending radially therefrom. The receptacle I5 is preferably of such dimensions as to receive easily therein an adhesive container with the inner wall thereof lying closely adjacent the outer wall of the container. The radiating device of the heating unit l8 may be made of any suitable material, preferably of bronze which may be readily cast and easily polished. It is preferably polished to eliminate all sand holes and irregularities which might tend to trap or hold adhesive thereon permitting repeated heating and cooling of the trapped adhesive with consequent destructive effects.

The heating unit I! preferably has its upper end 22 extending above the bottom of the receptacle IS a distance at least a little greater than the depth of a container to be used therewith and the fins 2| are preferably of such radial dimensions as to permit their reception into the container with their ends extending closely adjacent the inner wall thereof. Obviously the receptacle and heating unit may be constructed in any desired shape other than'c ylindrical for adaptation to containers of other shapes and the inner walls of the receptacle need not lie closely adjacent the outer walls of the container. although such a feature is preferable since it aids in the guiding of a full container as it gradually descends while the adhesive is melted therefrom in a manner hereinafter explained, and also insures eflicient heating of the adhesive in the container and avoidance of collection of any appreciable amount of melted adhesive in the bottom of the receptacle which might tend to permit undesired cooling thereof.

The heating pot I3 is formed of any suitable material, preferably aluminum, and has a socket 23 extending into the bottom transversely thereof for reception of a heating .cartridge 24. In the preferred construction the heating pot I3 is also provided with a partition 25 extending transversely thereacross to divide the pot into a receiving compartment 28 and a delivery compartmeat 21. As is shown in Fig. 3,-partition 2i preferably. extends to within a short distance from the bottom of the pot to provide a communicating passage 28 between the receiving and delivery compartments. Preferably the cartridge receiving socket 23 is arranged directly beneath the communicating passage 28 for a purpose to be indicated later.

The string severing device 14 preferably comprises an elongated element 29, such as a hollow sleeve or shell, supported by a bracket 30 substantially horizontally above the top of the delivery compartment 21 .of the heating pot II in a position so as not to interfere with removal of adhesive from" the pot and to lie beneath the normal path of work to be moved away from above the delivery compartment where adhesive is to be applied to the work. The element 29 suitably houses a heating cartridge 3].

The preheater cartridge IS, the heating pot cartridge 24 and heating cartridge 3| for the string severing device are adapted to be heated by electrical current supplied from the usual commercial source by means of a pronged plug 32 and cord 3!. Suitable control means for the heating pot cartridge 24 are provided to permit maintenance of the adhesive in the heating pot llwithin a certain critical temperature range such as between about 150 and 170 C. for the type of adhesive commercially known as 8-7783. This means may constitute a rheostat connected in series in a circuit between supply conductors l4 and 35 of cord 33 and cartridge 24 but, in the preferred form, consists of a thermostatic device 36 which automatically controls the temperature of the adhesive in the heating pot II. The thermostatic device includes a bulb 81 suitably positioned in the delivery compartment 21 of the pot lit to be immersed in the fluid adhesive therein, a tube 38 connecting the bulb 31 to a copper bellows 39, and a switch 44 having a movable contact 4| biased by a spring 42 normally to make contact with a fixed contact 43 and positioned within the path of the free end of the bellows. The bulb 31 contains a suitable fluid such as mercury which will expand as the temperature is increased causing the bellows to expand and apply pressure to the movable contact 4| until the resistance of the spring 42 is overcome with a resultant separation of the contacts 4| and 43. The circuit of the heating pot cartridge 24 is thus broken and held open until the adhesive therein cools to a predetermined temperature at which the bellows 39 will permit the spring 42 to close the circuit.

For a more complete understanding of the means for supplying heat to the preheater, the heating pot and the string severing device, reference should be had to the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 4. The supply conductor 34 is connected to one side of a snap switch 44 having the other side thereof connected by a conductor 45 to the contact 4| of the switch 40. Theother contact 43 of switch is connected by a conductor 46 to one terminal of the pot heating cartridge 24 and the other terminal of the latter is connected by conductors 41 and 48 to one side of a pilot light 48, provided, if desired, with a suitable shield as shown in Fig. 1. The circuit of the pot heater is completed by connecting the other supply conductor 35 to the other side of the pilot light 49 by means of a conductor II. The switch 44 is also connected in series in the circuit for the heating cartridge 3| of the string severing device, a conductor 5| being connected between one terminal of the cartridge and the terminal of switch 44 to which conductor 4' is connected. The other terminal of the cartridge II is connected by a conductor 52 to the supply conductor 35.

The supply conductor 24 is also connected to one side of another snap switch 53 by a conductor 55. A conductor 55 connects the other side of the switch 53 to one terminal of the preheater cartridge I9 and conductors 58 and 51 connect the other terminal of the cartridge to one side of a pilot light 55 which also may be shielded. The other side of pilot light 55 is connected by conductors 55 and to the supply conductor 35.

Preferably the conductors 45 and 41 and conductors 55 and 55 are respectively housed in suitable insulating conduits 5| and 52. Protective shielding for the conductors to the various cartridges may be provided if desired in the form of a cast iron shield 53 mounted on the under side of the table l5. The pilot lights 49 and 55 are shown connected in series in the heating pot circuit and the preheater circuit. Obviously, if desired, they may be connected in shunt by respectively substituting conductors 64 and 65 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4) for conductors 45 and 51 and connecting supply conductor 35 to conductors 41 and 55 by conductors 66 andil (shown in dotted lines).

In operation when the heating pot I3 is empty or when sufficient adhesive has been used therefrom to permit the addition of a quart of adhesive, a container 65 such as that indicated in Fig. 1 by dot dash lines with parts broken away, preferably a paper carton of quart capacity, hav ing therein a substantially firm body 89 of adhesive (as distinguished from the fluid" condition of adhesive when heated, adhesive 8-7783 being somewhat soft and viscous although selfsustaining at normal temperatures), is opened and inverted in the preheater l2 with the upper end 22 of the heating unit I! in engagement with the body 59 of adhesive in the container. For the purpose of insuring proper alignment of the container with the receptacle and guidance thereof as it falls while the adhesive is being melted therefrom a plurality of guide pins -10 are mounted upon the rim of the receptacle l5. One or more of the guide pins Hi1l| are provided with suitable indicia such as notches II-ll to indicate the height at which the bottom of the conta ner should be when the container hw completed its downward travel as permitted by the heating unit it and complete melting of the adhesive therefrom. The power rating of the cartridge I5 is preferably about 150 watts so that the temperature of the heating unit will be anproximately 200 to 225 F. The adhesive in the container adjacent the upper end 22 of the heating element II will gradually melt and become sufficiently fluid to flow slowly down and between fins 2I-2l. into the bottom of receptacle l5 through the outlet I1 and into the receiving compartment 26 of the heating pot II.

The substantially fluid adhesive flowing from the outlet II will collect in the receivng cor partment 25 of the heating pot I3. Current flowing through the heating potcartridge 24 will gradually heat the entire contents but since the car ridge is positioned closely adjacent the communicating passage 25, it will more readily heat the adhesive therein and that adjacent thereto so that heated adhesive from the receiving compartment 25 will readily transfer to the delivery compartment Al and mix with the heated adhesive in the latter. Heat will continue to be supplied to the heating pot l2 until the adhesive in the delivery compartment 21 is at a critically high temperature within the indicated range and at which the thermostat will operate to break the circuit of the heating source. In this manner a supply of adhesive heated to a proper working temperature is constantly maintained in the delivery compartment 21.

The heated adhesive is to be applied to the work above the heating pot l3 by a suitable applicator such as a brush. Due to the highly stringy nature of the adhesive, during application of the adhesive to work such as the seating portion of a shoe heel, strings of adhesive trailing therefrom will be formed. The operator in transferring the work, i..e., the shoe heel, to the 10- cation of the work part to which it is to be cemented, e. g., a lasted shoe, passes the work or heel over the severing device H in a manner so that the trailing strings of adhesive are brought into contact with the heated element 29. The heating cartridge 3| housed in the element 29 preferably has a power rating of about 40 watts so that the temperature of the element is approxima ely 375 F. As a result adhesive strings coming in contact with the element 29 will immediately be burned through or severed. This will permit efficient cement aflixation of the heel to its seat with substantial elimination of strings which may be a source of annoyance and might cause difficulties interfering with eflicacious cement afflxation.

It will thus be seen that the present invention efliciently attains the objects set forth above and since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embod ments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understoodthat the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described. and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, including a preheater for removing adhesive from'a container comprising a receptacle adapted to receive an open adhesive container in inverted position, and a heating device located in said receptacle having an elevated upper face affording a heated seat for directly engaging the exposed surface of a firm body of adhesive in an open inverted container, said heater being shaped to have said container telescoped thereover as the body of adhesive therein progressively melts toward its bottom.

2. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, including a preheater for removing adhesive from a container comprising a receptacle adapted to receive an open adhesive container in inverted position, means to deliver fluid adhesive from said receptacle, a heating device located in said receptacle having an elevated upper face affording a heated seat for directly engaging the exposed surface of a firm body of adhesive in an open inverted container, said heater being shaped to have said container telescoped thereover as thebody of adhesive therein progressively melts, and to afford passage space for draining melted adhesive from the area of its seat downwardly to I said receptacle.

3. Apparatus for handling .thermo-plastic adhesive, including a preheater for removing adhesive from a container comprising a receptacle adapted to receive an open adhesive container in inverted position, and a heating device located in said receptacle and extending substantially vertically from the bottom thereof having a plurality of laterally extending fins the upper edges of which terminate in a flat heated surface affording a stable seat for supporting the exposed surface of a firm body of adhesive in an open inverted container, said fins being of such dimensions as to permit their reception into the container as the adhesive is melted therefrom.

4. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, including a preheater for removing adhesive from a container comprising a receptacle adapted to receive an open adhesive container in inverted position, means to deliver fluid adhesive from said receptacle, and a heating device located in said receptacle and extending substantially vertically from the bottom thereof having a plurality of laterally extending spaced-apart fins the upper edges of which are adapted to engage and support the exposed surface of a firm body of adhesive in an open inverted container, said fins being of such dimensions and shape as to have said container telescoped thereover as the body of adhesive therein progressively melts, and to approach the side walls of such descending container in close guiding relation.

5. Apparatus for removing thermo-plastic adhesive from a container comprising a receptacle having an outlet for fluid adhesive, an elongated heating device in said receptacle having its upper end adapted to engage a firm body of adhesive in an open container inverted over said heater. said heater being shaped to have said container teiescoped thereover as the body of adhesive therein progressively melts, and guide means around the outside of said heater adapted to guide a descending container as it telescopes over said heater.

6. Apparatus for removing thermo-plastlc adhesive from a container comprising a .shallow cup-shaped receptacle having an outlet for fluid adhesive, an elongated heating device in said receptacle having its upper end extending above the bottom of said receptacle a distance greater than the depth of a container and adapted to engage a firm body of adhesive in an open container inverted in said receptacle, said heating device being receivable in the container as adhesive is melted therefrom, and container guide members mounted on said receptacle extending vertically above the top thereof and having means to indicate the position of aninverted container when substantially all of the adhesive has been melted therefrom.

7. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive comprising a preheater for removing adhesive from a container having adhesive delivery means, a heating pot having a partition dividing it into receiving and delivery compartments with a communicating passage therebetween and positioned to receive adhesive in the receiving compartment from said delivery means, and a source of heat adjacent said communicating passage to maintain the adhesive in the delivery compartment at atemperature within a certain critical range and to heat received adhesive to such a temperature prior to mixture thereof with the adhesive in the latter compartment.

8.Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive comprising a preheater for removing adhesive from a container having adhesive delivery means, a heating pot having apartition extending transversely thereof dividing it into receiving and delivery compartments, a passage communicating between the compartments adjacent the bottom of said pot, said pot being positioned to receive adhesive in the receiving compartment from said delivery means, and a source of heat located at the bottom of said pot adjacent the communicating passage to maintain the adhesive in the delivery compartment at a temperature within a certain critical range and to heat received adhesive to such a temperature as it passes into the latter compartment.

9. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, comprising means for maintaining a supply of stringy thermo-piastic adhesive at a work ing temperature, and a string severing device comprising an element located adjacent said first mentioned means adapted to be heated to a relatively high temperature at which strings of adhesive will be quickly severed when brought into contact therewith.

10. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, comprising means for maintaining a supply of stringy thermo-plastic adhesive at a working temperature, and a string severing device comprising an elongated element mounted horizontally closely adjacent the supply means in a position beneath the normal path of work to be moved away from a position above the supply means where adhesive is to be applied thereto,

and means to heat said element to a relatively high temperature at which strings of adhesive trailing from the work being moved from above the supply means will be quickly severed upon contact with said element.

11. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, comprising means for maintaining a supply of stringy thermo-plastic adhesive at a working temperature, and a string severing device comprising a hollow elongated sleeve mounted horizontally closely adjacent the supply means in a position beneath the normal path of work to be moved away from a position above the supply means where adhesive is to be applied thereto, an electrical heating element mounted in said sleeve to heat it to a relatively high temperature at which strings of adhesive trailing from work being moved from above the supply means will be quickly severed upon contact with said sleeve.

12. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive, comprising means for maintaining a supply of stringy thermoplastic adhesive at a working temperature including a heating pot having a delivery compartment above which is to be positioned work for application of adhesive thereto, and a string severing device comprising an elongated electrically heated element mounted horizontally above and to one side of the heating pot delivery compartment in a position beneath the normal path of work to be moved away from said pot, and means to supply current to said element whereby it may be heated to a temperature at which strings of adhesive trailing from work will be quickly severed upon contact with saidelement.

13. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive of a highly sticky and stringy nature, comprising a preheater having a receptacle adapted to receive an open adhesive container in inverted ceptacle having a portion adapted to engage a firm body of adhesive in an open inverted container and to be received by the latter as the adhesive is melted therefrom and an outlet for delivering preheated fluid adhesive from the receptacle; a heating pot adapted to receive adhesive from the receptacle outlet, a source of heat for said pot and means to control said source whereby the adhesive in said pot may be maintained at a temperature within a certain critical range; and a string severing device comprising an element located adjacent said pot in a position beneath the normal path of work to be moved away from above the pot where adhesive is to be applied thereto and means to heat said element to a relatively high temperature at which strings of adhesive trailing from the work will be quickly severed upon contact with said element.

14. Apparatus for handling thermo-plastic adhesive of a highly sticky and stringy nature, comprising a preheater having a receptacle adapted to receive an open adhesive container in inverted position, means to deliver fluid adhesive from said receptacle, and a heating device located in said receptacle and extending substantially vertically from the bottom thereof including a plurality of laterally extending fins the upper edges of which are adapted to engage a firm body of adhesive in an open inverted container and of such dimensions as to permit their reception into the container as the adhesive is melted therefrom; a heating pot having a partition dividing it into receiving and delivery compartments with a communicating passage therebetween in position to receive preheated fluid adhesive in the receiving compartment from said preheater delivery means, and a controlled source of heat for said pot to maintain the adhesive in the delivery compartment at a temperature within a certain critical range and to heat received adhesive to such a temperature prior to mixture thereof with the adhesive in the latter compartment; and a string severing device comprising an elongated element mounted horizontally above and to one side of the heating pot delivery compartment in a position beneath the normal path of work to be moved away from a position above the delivery compartment where adhesive is to -be applied thereto and means to heat said element to a relatively high temperature at which strings of adhesive trailing from work will be quickly severed upon contact with said element.

JOHN FREDERICK SMITH. 

